Conventional camera stabilizers have a number of limitations. First, tilt heads used with inertial camera stabilization devices require several actions to tilt the head and balance the system. Tilt heads can lock up; requiring a lot of force to release, and fine adjustment of the tilt angle can be difficult. In addition, there is no method to change the angle of tilt during a shot, so that the appropriate tilt angle for each part of the shot is maintained and the central post system remains vertical.
What is needed is a method to finely adjust and hold the angle of tilt with precision without locking the head, to facilitate testing for the correct tilt angle. What is also needed is a method to change the angle of tilt during a shot.
A further limitation can be found in the connection between the camera and stabilizer apparatus. A camera must be secure on a stage of a camera stabilization apparatus and releasably in a controlled manner. Auxiliary dovetail plates and mating clamps have been used with camera support devices, especially in support devices or systems where the balance of the camera is important for proper functioning. With conventional dovetail and clamp mechanisms, as the camera is being attached to the support structure or removed from it, there is a period of time where the camera is free to fall out of the clamping structure. Various mechanical means have been employed to permit the gross positioning of the dovetail and prevent the camera from releasing from the mechanism, but they require a separate action from the operator. At times this separate action may be awkward and inconvenient, as the camera may require two hands to orient and secure the camera in position before the safety mechanism is engaged. Furthermore, dovetail clamping systems often either cannot clamp tightly enough or clamp too tightly to fully close the lever.
What is needed is a method and means of automatically initiating the safety system while the operator keeps both hands on the camera, providing an added level of security. Also needed is a method of disengaging the safety system so that it is not accidentally disengaged. What is also needed is a simple and robust method for adjusting the dovetail clamp pressure in systems employing a lever and cam to lock the dovetail in place.
Still another limitation of conventional camera stabilization systems is the connection with a monitor used for viewing, which must be securely attached to the central post of the system. Conventional monitor mounts cannot securely fix a monitor to a multiplicity of posts of different diameters, and engage each post across a large surface area (perimeter contact).
What is needed is a monitor mount that can be adequately secured to posts of different diameters without numerous additional parts, or cumbersome construction requirements.